‘It will be a failed policy’: Mandatory decentralisation plans circumvent the real population issue

As a public struggling to deal with the symptoms of overpopulation rallies the Morrison Government on population policy, it’s becoming increasingly clear no curtailing or cut to our unfettered immigration rate is in sight.

Instead, the government is reportedly throwing about ideas around mandatory decentralisation, in a bid to placate city voters fed up with congestion, strained infrastructure, stagnating wage growth and escalating house prices.

The reported plan could involve dispersing the population by forcing migrants to settle in regional areas for five years.

But Adam Creighton from The Australia has his doubts about the feasibility of the policy, saying it lacks enforceability.

“I think it’s a very misguided idea,” says Crieghton.

“Just imagine if someone comes over here, breaks the condition of the visa and moves to Sydney or Melbourne. What’s the government going to do? Are they seriously going to get the federal police to take them back?”

“As the economy changes from a primarily agricultural based economy to a services economy, the jobs are in the city. Especially if you’re a migrant, you’re going to want to go to the cities, where you’ll maximise your chance of getting a job.”

“Generally the unemployment rates are actually higher in the regions. So why would you want to send people places where the unemployment rate is higher?”